Wednesday, 29 July 2015

Book Review - Pleasure Island by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Title: Pleasure Island

Author: Anna-Lou Weatherley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookoutre

Publication Date: 31st July 2015

Rating: 5 Stars

Secrets. Scandal. Betrayal. In Paradise, pleasure comes at a dangerously high price…Three couples each receive an exclusive invitation to the fantasy holiday destination of a lifetime… The host: Martin McKenzie, global billionaire and media mogul. Charismatic, powerful and always gets what he wants. The location: A breathtakingly beautiful undiscovered island, nestled in the Aegean Sea. Private, secluded and not quite as it seems. The details: Seven days of pure hedonism, five-star luxury tailored to every desire, also includes… secrets, lies, and infidelity. As the guests begin to enjoy everything the luxury island has to offer, cracks begin to surface between the three couples. But that is not all. Someone is watching them. When they discover the truth – it will be explosive in more ways than they can ever imagine. A jaw-dropping, absorbing and spectacular blockbuster of a novel. THE beach read of the summer you won’t want to be without.

From the second I saw this book announced, complete with its absolutely gorgeous cover, and interesting sounding blurb, I knew I wanted to read this. The second I could get hold of a review copy I did, and I am delighted that I did, as this is easily one of the best books I have read this year. Within minutes of starting to read the prologue I was utterly hooked. I wanted to know why the people were doing what they were doing, and far more details about the situation. I had a feeling I may be reading something special, and the rest of the book did not disappoint. The main action gets fully going at around 15% into the book, and what happens there got my adrenalin pumping, and into a state where this book was clearly going to be a page turner. In the bit before that we are introduced to the three couples that have been invited to the exclusive Pleasure Island, and the reactions to receiving the invitation. However none of them could ultimately resist a trip to an exclusive exotic island where there every need is going to be catered for free of charge. The descriptions of Pleasure Island, conjure up a beautiful place, that is untouched by commercial tourism, and is the ideal location for a spot of rest and relaxation. There is all manner of sports facilities, a spa, pools, beach and fabulous weather. What more can you really want. However not everything on this trip is as it seems, and before long a few of the guests, start getting curious as to why they were there, and a general feeling of paranoia.Interspersed with chapters on the island, we get sections based on the host of this trip's point of view, as to what he and his friends are observing, and doing, as well as the occasional chapters on other view points, one that you wouldn't have seen coming initially.

I am of course being deliberately vague as to the entire contents of this book, as I feel I can't reveal one thing, without possibly giving away a hint as to something else that happens. It is a fast paced, engaging read, by an exceptionally talented author. My best way of describing this, and how I was thinking as I was reading the start of the book is, that Pleasure Island reads like a cross between Tasmina Perry and Victoria Fox. If you are fans of either of those authors then you should definitely read this book. Pleasure Island is a book full of secrets and revelations. It is an island for every hedonistic need, and there is sex, drugs, a rock and roller, scandal, revenge, betrayal, life changing events and then if all that was not enough a finale that was mind blowing. Although some things had been revealed to the reader over the course of the books, there were still things left that left me shocked, amazed and generally incredibly impressed with how well this whole story comes together. Ultimately Pleasure Island is a spectacular and intriguing story that is perfect summer reading. My only regret about reading this book was that I didn't save it for my own holiday to savour while lounging by the pool, in a destination that wouldn't have been quite my own Pleasure Island!Thank you so much to Bookoutre and Netgalley for allowing me to review this fabulous book. This was all my own honest opinion. Pleasure Island is out on Friday in ebook. Pre-order now while it is at a bargain price!